Chapter 9

It wasn't long before we found out that our baby would be a boy. That started a debate! Our son is due next March. I was all for naming him, "March." Laura wanted to name him after me. My parents weighed in as did Mother Munroe.

My dad finally handed the decision to Laura and me. He said, "It's up to the two of you. Pick a name and everyone else will be happy about it. Everyone has a backside and everyone has an opinion. It's up to you because your names will go on the birth certificate."

Laura and I talked about it a lot and compromised. Our new son would be named, "March Paul Sanderson." He grew well and healthy in Laura's womb. We celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with Laura in fine shape. After an initial, short bout of morning sickness, Laura felt well and carried our baby easily. We celebrated the New Year and even had another party. April and May and their guys and I did all the work letting Laura direct us.

On the twentieth day of March, March Paul Sanderson was born. At eight pounds, nine ounces, he was a long baby and quite healthy. With Laura and two older sisters, he never lacked for care. I sometimes had to argue for my chance to hold him.

Laura was taking her maternity leave but I told her that she didn't have to work. Our cars were paid off and her house was rented. We used some of her furniture and stored the rest. Whenever someone had a need, we tried to help out and, by the time March was born, we had finally cleaned it out. Laura had never asked about money though she paid her few bills and we had made no large purchases. When I suggested she not work, she looked worried. I showed her my finances. She said, "I never knew I was marrying into wealth. I never thought of us as poor, Paul. I just never thought about money because it never seemed to be an issue."

I smiled. "It's not. Money has never been important and we don't live extravagantly either. The money just piles up. If you didn't work, it really wouldn't matter."

"Paul, financially, it wouldn't. However, I enjoy teaching and plan to continue. It does ease my mind to move from thinking it would be okay to knowing it would be okay. I didn't marry you for you to support me either. I had always wondered why you seemed not to worry about me contributing other than buying a few things and some food. Now, I know why."

Laura went back to work and March went to day care until she could pick him up after school. More than usual, I found the girls at home with their guys there. They all doted on March.

May was in the eighth grade with Mark taking all advanced placement classes. She was back to making her perfect scores. She and Mark were one and two in their class. They enjoyed competing against each other. Mark would tell her that he could miss a question on a test and then they would be even. He always smiled when he said it but it was obvious that they were both proud of their scholastic ability. Their competition was friendly but intense.

April was enjoying her first year of high school and had made the volleyball team. She and Tom worked out together because he was on the track team as a distance runner and a javelin thrower. April had joined his weight lifting program and was using his weights. She had reached her full growth over the last summer and was six feet, one inch, tall. It looked like she would never have Laura's curves though hers were sufficient. One thing about her was her muscular development. She wore a bikini in the summer proudly. Tom talked her into cross country running with the track team and they enjoyed running together. She still ran with me when I ran. Laura quickly regained her figure through exercise and intelligent eating.

Life is good.

The last four years have been easy. No big changes and just a steady enjoyable life for us were the program.

April and Tom are seniors this year. May and Mark are juniors. All four are enjoying the school year. April would be captain of the volleyball team this year. She has two separate scholarship offers to play volleyball and a number of academic scholarships as well. Her track running wasn't good enough for a scholarship but she enjoyed it. Tom had academic scholarships as well as track offers. The problem was only where. They were inseparable now. Marriage for them seemed to be a "when" and not an "if."

May and Mark were closer if possible. While April and Tom would graduate two and three in their class. May and Mark would be one and two with the only question being who would be number one! In our family, May was considered the "shorty" only because the rest of us were so tall.

March is four years old and doing quite well. He is the tallest kid in his age group at church and at day care. He was a kind boy who has a faith in God like they are on a first name basis. His sisters dote on him. He never seemed to need discipline because his errors were always from ignorance. He never had to be told twice though always wanted to know why. Talking to him could drive you crazy since he was a little boy with a little boy's voice but with grown-up thoughts and words. He had progressed beyond children's books so fast that it shocked even Laura. We were talking about him one evening and I said, "Another swan, my love, another swan."

She smiled at me and said, "I know but I 'really' feel like a duck this time." I just smiled and nodded.

After a discussion, April was given Laura's Prius at her sixteenth birthday. We shopped for a new car for Laura. She chose another Prius saying that she had liked the other one and didn't need much. In a way, she was right. We always had my tank to go anywhere. April usually rode with Tom anyway. May and Mark would ride with them. That gave us plenty of room in back for March though I wasn't always happy with my daughters off on their own.

About a year before, I cautioned Tom that he had half of my life in his car when he carried my two girls. I told him that it was imperative that he be a careful driver. He smiled at me. "I only have one precious girl but I want her with me for a long time." He grinned. "What are you going to do about her when we're off to college?"

"Worry a lot. Don't increase it!" I smiled at him.

He said, "I will be with her to keep her safe."

I grinned. "That's half of my worry!"

School was starting for April's final year and she was looking forward to this last year and to enjoying it with Tom. They were already selected to be a superlative, "Most Likely to be Married."

Tom and April have now signed commitment letters to the University of Georgia. They had other offers but those were the best and had facilities that fit their desires the best. After signing with both sets of parents present, we took them to supper at Momma Rosa's. May and Mark were watching March this evening. We had a table a little away from others. When we finished our entrees, Tom and April stood. April said, "Parents, we want to make an announcement."

We stopped what we were doing. Tom said, "We have been together for many years and our marriage is considered by most everyone a matter of when and not if."